This invention relates to security systems for aircraft, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for preventing theft or unauthorized removal of instruments from the cockpit instrument panel of an aircraft and for preventing theft or unauthorized use of the aircraft.
The cockpit of privately owned or light aircraft is commonly equipped with an instrument panel accommodating various instruments, avionics, radios and other equipment, all of which may be referred to as simply "instruments". Positioned beneath the aircraft windshield and rearwardly facing, the instrument panel permits the instruments to be conveniently viewable by the pilot and copilot operating the aircraft. In some aircraft, the instrument panel is fitted with a glare shield along the panel's upper edge.
Rearwardly extending from the instrument panel are two flight control columns terminating with respective flight control yokes or wheels that are manipulated by the pilot or copilot for controlling the aircraft's ailerons and elevators. The flight control columns are slaved to one another, so that movement of either yoke will result in corresponding movement of the other yoke and both columns. Turning or rotating a yoke causes corresponding rotation of the columns for adjusting position of the ailerons, for controlling rotation of the aircraft about its longitudinal or roll axis. Rearward pulling and forward pushing of the yoke, resulting in corresponding rearward and forward longitudinal movement of the control columns, adjusts position of the aircraft's elevators for controlling the aircraft's pitch motion about its lateral or pitch axis.
Since private aircraft are often tied down at airfields lacking in effective security, they are accessible to unauthorized entry and, consequently, to unauthorized removal or theft of instruments from the instrument panel as well as unauthorized use or theft of the aircraft itself. Various systems have been devised for addressing this problem, including apparatus for locking a cover plate immediately rearwardly of the instrument panel and for locking the flight control columns against rotation and longitudinal movement. The apparatus of the prior art appear to require risk to the integrity of the columns, however, such as by providing a physical circumferencial clamping of the columns or the drilling of an aperture along a diameter of at least one of the columns for inserting a gust lock pin therethrough.